POLAND Indoor ball? Just to practice

The plans need approval from council. By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR. VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER POLAND -- Poland Community Baseball Association may soon have an indoor practice facility. The group says it's looking to build a facility on Meadow Lane. The land is owned by the village and holds a storage garage for police vehicles and other equipment. Bill White of the PCBA said the facility will not be large enough to play actual games, but it would be available to all 900 youngsters in the league. "What we have is a situation where the kids play baseball for a very short period of time. This is a way to keep them interested in playing during the off-season and continue to develop their skills," he said. "What our thoughts are is that if they can continue with the same coaching and develop their skills, it will be a big plus." Would be free: White said many parents pay to use indoor facilities. This would be offered free to PCBA players. Initially the association wanted to place the facility on church property on Main Street, but the congregation rejected the idea. There was also discussion about building the facility at Fireman's Field in Poland Community Recreational Park, but future plans there would not accommodate it. Attorneys for the baseball association are discussing details of an agreement with the village solicitor. Mayor Ruth Wilkes said everything is in good order and there is a good chance the idea will be approved. The land would remain with the village. The mayor said there is plenty of room for the facility and village equipment. Cost: White said the cost of the building is estimated at $100,000, including maintenance. He said the association is in the process of raising the money. Browning Ferris Industries has offered $30,000 toward the facility if Poland allows the company to bring more long-haul trash into its Carbon Limestone landfill in Poland Township. The landfill issue is pending. "We have had opposition in some places, said White." This is a plan that you would think is good for a lot of young people -- a place to keep people together and organized." Opposed to plan: Meadow Lane resident Janet Marstellar said she and some of her neighbors are a part of the opposition. Marstellar said the facility is a good idea, but not on a small, quiet street like Meadow Lane. Marstellar, who has a semicircle driveway facing Meadow Lane at one end and Main Street at the other, said the street is too small to support high volumes of traffic.